


to plant your heart in a community garden

by bambinaa



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Angst, Fluff, Love Confessions, M/M, Mental Health Issues, Post-Canon, but only a little bit!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-03
Updated: 2021-02-03
Packaged: 2021-03-14 07:06:58
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,958
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29166939
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bambinaa/pseuds/bambinaa
Summary: Dedue pushed back a blonde tress before tucking the flower behind Dimitri’s left ear. “It will not stay. Allow me to admire this for a moment anyways. I apologize deeply for being so forward, Your Majesty, but I needed to remind you you tarnish no flower.”In which Dedue reminds Dimitri of his worth, leading Dimitri to finally speak the words so long unspoken.
Relationships: Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/Dedue Molinaro
Comments: 8
Kudos: 27





	to plant your heart in a community garden

**Author's Note:**

> i really want to go on a picnic w my crush but she isn't allowed out bcs of covid so i wrote this fic instead. living vicariously i guess! i hope you enjoy it :)
> 
> the title comes from the song "community gardens" by the scary jokes i highly recommend it!

Small flowers had begun to sprout across the fields of Faerghus, creating oceans of blue amidst the green that had returned with spring. The flowers were beautiful, delicate and vibrant, with a rather unique petal shape – unique to Dimitri, at least, who knew next to nothing about anything related to botany. He sat next to a patch of these majestic plants in the rolling hills outside the city’s walls that belonged to the Blaiddyd family. He’d been asked to come here by Dedue, but had arrived quite early and found himself enamored with the flowers. Fascinated, he plucked one and began to twirl it with his fingers. It became a whirling shock and Dimitri found that he was no longer as fond of it. Despite his admiration of its color before, the flower was not nearly as beautiful when he could not view its intricacies, its complexities. 

A sudden pang hit Dimitri’s chest – here he was, analyzing flowers, when he had a country to run. Paperwork to sign, conferences to delegate, pressing matters to address. He was the  _ king _ . His people  _ needed _ him. 

The sound of footsteps made him dispel this train of thought. Dimitri turned to see Dedue, carrying a basket in one hand, a blanket in the other. He was dressed rather warmly, bundled up in fashionable layers, despite the rather pleasant weather; Dimitri supposed that no number of winters in Faerghus would accustom Dedue to the cold. His silver hair was tied tightly, no loose strands framing his scarred, smiling face. He always looked so neat, so composed, that Dimitri couldn’t help but compare his own, rather slovenly appearance. Dimitri’s clothes were expensive, befitting a king, yet ill-fitting – they were quite old, and he had lost weight. Parts of his hair had been haphazardly tied back, in the same style he sported every day, mechanically. The only care he had taken was to tie his eyepatch, a family heirloom that had been dug up from the piles of sentimental trinkets that had been left to rot in the cellars of the castle. 

Dimitri was in charge of fostering peace and prosperity in his nation, yet he could not even appear presentable when meeting with his most cherished friend. Wallowing in this, he forgot about this friend’s arrival until Dedue suddenly spoke. “They are called cornflowers.”

“Pardon?”

“The flower you are holding. It is called a cornflower.” Dedue perched down next to where Dimitri was sitting on the ground, the flower still tightly pressed between his fingers. “They are quite common.”

“Yes. I’ve seen many of them, throughout my life.” Dimitri turned to face Dedue, who remained smiling, a welcomed difference from his usual stoicism that Dimitri had recently had the pleasure of experiencing more and more often.

“Yes. We have them in Duscur, as well.” Dedue chuckled slightly. “I brought a blanket for us to sit on, but it seems you’ve found your place on the ground already.”

“My sincerest apologies.” Dimitri silently admonished himself. It was unbecoming to simply sit on the ground wherever he pleased. He would dirty his already subpar clothing, and it would become another burden on Dedue’s overflowing plate. 

Dedue’s smile faltered slightly. “It is not a problem, Your Majesty,” he assured as he laid the blanket out and began to assort the contents of his basket on it. He had brought a bottle of tea, some baked goods, various cheeses, and all necessary utensils. Dimitri had been called for a picnic, then. He was unsure of what to think. Dimitri had never taken Dedue as one to care for picnics. “Come. Sit and eat.” 

Dimitri obliged. Once comfortably situated, he began to absentmindedly sip at the tea and pick at the cheese. He looked up to see Dedue staring at him. “How are you feeling, Your Majesty?”

Dimitri silently wondered what he had done to lead Dedue to believe something was amiss, although it felt to Dimitri as if something was always amiss with himself, and Dedue was able to decipher Dimitri better than anyone else. There was little the king could hide from his most trusted companion. 

Besides, a falter in Dimitri’s wellbeing was the entire reason the two were lounging idyllically in a flower field while work piled up on Dimitri’s desk. 

Dimitri had been feeling overworked, although he never would have admitted it. There simply was  _ so much to do _ . An entire continent to be rebuilt, and returning to the complacency of life prior to the strife of the last decade was not enough – Dimitri had made it his mission to raise Fodlan to a place for all, in a way it never truly had been. The list of improvements needed was endless, from schools and hospitals in the slums he himself had dwelled in to the fostering of positive relationships with their foreign neighbors. Delegating his work to others wouldn’t do – it was  _ his _ duty,  _ his _ repentance. 

All this work took its toll on Dimitri’s mental health. He should have been able to predict this. He knew how fragile his mind was, had felt firsthand how dangerous of a concoction overworking and undersleeping was for him. 

But he never learned, did he?

What began as a meal put off became days with nothing substantial consumed. Dimitri worked nonstop; the sun would rise, set, and rise again as he trudged through propositions and decrees, with moments of respite few and far beyond. He became frustrated with himself for not being able to do  _ more _ , frustration that inevitably unfurled onto others. 

And then, the voices. 

As Dimitri spiralled further and further into himself, the dark thoughts he formerly believed he had quelled were unleashed once again. Suspicion, revenge, anger. He refused help from anyone, snapping at those who dared to come near him, dared to ask if he was alright. His court and those who worked for him inevitably began to gossip about what affliction could possibly burden their king. 

Yet Dedue had always been different. Perhaps it was because he had already seen Dimitri at much, much worse. Or perhaps it was because he would persistently ignore Dimitri’s barbs and outbursts, forcing himself into his liege’s confidence and caring for him so, so tenderly. 

While Dedue was caring, he was also firm. Immovable. A bit like an iron wall, really. So when he declared that Dimitri would take a break from work until he was feeling better, there was little the king could do but grumble and submit. Logically, Dimitri knew it was needed damage control – his heart sank at the number of lords he had likely offended, servants he had scared off. Recently, though, logic had not been Dimitri’s strong suit. Dedue would have to pick up where Dimitri failed, as always.

On the first day of Dimitri’s unwilling hiatus, Dedue had suggested the two meet in this field. So now, they were here. And Dimitri had to consider how he truly was. 

“As a child, I’d refuse to touch these flowers. Really, any flowers. I was scared I would smush them. I’d yet to learn how to control my own strength,” Dimitri reflected, pensively, his gaze pinned to the flower he still held. This did not answer the question posed, yet Dimitri could not bring himself to lie to Dedue, nor could he bring himself to break his heart with the truth. “I remember seeing these again, after you helped me escape–” Dimitri’s voice faltered, but he quickly cleared his throat and continued. “I cannot tell you how long after. It could have been years. Days blended into weeks, weeks blended into months, and so it went. I was, as you know, not in a… great state of mind, to say the least. I was so obsessed with revenge that I rarely noticed trivial matters like flowers, yet these caught my eye once. I suppose they reminded me of my childhood in a rare moment of clarity. I went to touch the petal, and instead tarnished it. I’d failed to notice the blood that permanently stained my hands. The blue of the flower had become a muddied brown.” 

The look of desperate sadness on Dedue’s face made Dimitri instantly regret his words. He caused Dedue so much worry, and he knew reflections like this only worsened matters. Stupid. If he continued down this path, Dedue would leave him, as he should. A boar like Dimitri did not deserve–

A sudden touch made Dimitri startle. Dedue tenderly took the flower from Dimitri’s hand and moved closer. Dimitri felt a sudden heat in his face, yet he froze. Dedue was extremely close. Dimitri could discern the scent of various spices; his companion had likely spent hours in the kitchen laboring away to prepare treats Dimitri would be able to enjoy with the senses he still had. Dedue was always so caring, so thoughtful, so much more than Dimitri deserved. He would spend an entire day treating Dimitri, distracting him from his own madness, to what benefit to himself?

Dedue pushed back a blonde tress before tucking the flower behind Dimitri’s left ear. “It will not stay. Allow me to admire this for a moment anyways. I apologize deeply for being so forward, Your Majesty, but I needed to remind you you tarnish no flower.” 

There had been plenty of times in Dimitri’s life where he had been rendered speechless. Most were painted with grief, betrayal, or abject hopelessness – truthfully, Dimitri wondered if this the first time he lacked words due to sheer delight. It was likely. Yet what a pleasant first time! Was it possible… would he allow himself the thought that Dedue cared for him in this way? Not in the way a vassal cared for his liege, or in the way anyone would care for someone whom they knew to be sick, but in the way that gave Dimitri hope on his darkest days, a way so revered by all for its undeniable power.

In the way that felt like soft blue flowers on open fields, the wind blowing slightly and the sun smiling upon an unbreakable pair, still healing from the hardships of their lives, but healing together. 

Dimitri had loved Dedue for so long, he could not remember a version of himself that didn’t equate his retainer with life itself. He’d always cared for him, that boy from Duscur who served as his only ally in the home that had been ripped of all other warmth, but he had quickly found himself experiencing a new form of fondness. He didn’t just like Dedue. He liked the way he walked, shoulders set straight, always with a purpose. He liked the way he laughed, a rare sound that felt like a song from the angels whenever Dimitri was blessed enough to hear it. He liked his silver hair, his brown skin, his green eyes, his imposing build. He had thought this attraction was a passing fancy, another illusion orchestrated by his cruel mind, but as he grew, it did it as well. He would have nightmares at the thought of losing Dedue, yet Dedue’s presence would also provide him his only true moments of peace.

Was this what love felt like?

As king, Dimitri could speak whenever he chose to, yet he so rarely was able to speak his truth. Everything was hidden behind diplomacy and propriety, so suffocating that Dimitri had begun to lose the will to fight it. But now, Dimitri refused to stay silent. He refused to say the comfortable or  _ proper _ thing. He would speak his truth. 

“Dedue, I do not deserve your kind words.”

“Your Majesty–” 

“Please, Dedue, let me finish.” Dimitri disliked interrupting, especially considering Dedue’s already taciturn nature, but he needed his true feelings to be known. Dedue simply gave a respectful nod. “I do not deserve your kind words. Truthfully, I do not believe I deserve any part of you. But if I am to be selfish, then I must admit this. You are the brightest star in my sky. My tether, my treasure. You are all the flowers in my field.” Dimitri took his hand and chuckled softly. “Forgive me. I am trying to be poetic, and I am aware that I am failing. But I must express this feeling for you. Dedue, I, I..” With that, Dimitri faltered. How could he express this emotion? Words were not his strong suit; he’d learned to wield a sword before a pen. He must be blunt, then. “I love you.” 

While Dedue had looked pained at first, his expression now was something Dimitri had never witnessed. He was surprised, that was undoubtable. His eyebrows raised in shock, his mouth hanging open. If Dimitri had not just poured the contents of his heart out, he would have laughed at how unusual it was to see emotion so openly plastered across Dedue’s usually stoic face. But another emotion lingered in Dedue’s eyes, one that filled Dimitri’s chest with warmth. His mind involuntarily turned back to the idea that maybe, just  _ maybe _ , Dedue felt the same way as he. 

Dedue tightly squeezed Dimitri’s hand. Dimitri remained frozen with anticipation, waiting anxiously for Dedue’s next words. It felt like an eternity, like the hellish five years they had been apart, before Dedue calmly spoke.

“Your Majesty. I know this to be improper. But if those are your true emotions, then I must speak as well. I feel the same. I have felt the same since we were both children, clinging to each other in the depths of the night. I love you, Dimitri. I love you so much, it scares me.” 

At some point, tears had begun to quietly slip down Dimitri’s face, though he could not pinpoint when. He was not bothered by them, for he knew them to be tears of joy. From the smile on Dedue’s face, he knew the same. He used his free hand to tenderly wipe them away. Before Dimitri could even begin to collect his thoughts enough to provide a coherent response, Dedue spoke again. “I love you  _ so much _ , which is why you  _ must _ care for yourself. You  _ must _ come to me when you need me. I– I could not bear to lose you. Please, Dimitri.” 

Dimitri paused, his heart sinking at the thought of how much pain he caused those he cared for. Yet this newfound revelation, that Dedue truly loved him, did not only help him out of some sense of duty, caused him to force his thoughts down a different path, one illuminated by this uncovered hope. “I understand. I vow to be better, Dedue. To heed warning signs. To ask for assistance. I will not leave you alone in this.” It was now Dedue’s turn to silently cry, Dimitri then returning the action that Dedue had so lovingly performed.

“But, Dedue,” Dimitri suddenly interjected, “I have something to ask of you as well.”

“Anything, Your Majesty.”

“Well… that may be it. Do not follow me blindly. That is, do not lose yourself in serving me. Your happiness is my happiness, after all. And please, I beg of you! View yourself as my equal, not as my vassal, but as the most cherished companion in my life.” 

Dedue remained quiet for some time, seemingly weighing what Dimitri had implored of him. Finally, he spoke, his voice as calm as ever. “I cannot deny that I have lived to serve you. But if it is what you truly want, then I will listen. Not blindly comply, but try to understand.” 

“That is all I can ask.”

Dimitri felt as if a weight had been lifted off of his chest. A secret he had guarded for so long that it had seemed to become part of him had been unleashed, to an outcome he would have not have imagined in his most pleasant dreams. What had started as a day filled with frustration and self-loathing had blossomed into something else completely.

His problems, his illness, his responsibilities would remain. There would be new treatises to pass, new lords to please, new waters to navigate. He still remained riddled with self-doubt. Somehow, however, these ideas did not overwhelm him. Perhaps it was because there was now someone with whom to share the burden, someone who could lift him from his worst moods. Not just  _ someone _ , but the one. The one with whom Dimitri wanted to spend the rest of his life with, never parting. His Dedue. 

A sudden flood of passion caused Dimitri to lean forward and embrace Dedue. The tight squeeze he received back made Dimitri all but melt, as he reflected on just how fortunate he was. 

“I do not want us to ever separate, Dedue.”

“Nor do I. So we will not.” 

The two remained happily intermingled for the rest of the day until the sun started to set, at which point Dedue suggested they return to the castle. As they packed their belongings away, a flower on the blanket caught Dimitri’s eye. It was the same flower he had plucked before, having fallen out of Dimitri’s hair at some point. To his surprise, it remained perfectly intact.

“Dedue,” Dimitri exclaimed, showing the flower to his love. “Look! Not ruined at all. Perhaps I should believe you more often!”

“That would be prudent, Your Majesty. It certainly would stop the perennial graying of our staff’s hair.” Dimitri laughed boisterously at Dedue’s signature deadpan humor. There was  _ so much _ he adored about this man. 

So much that they now had their lifetimes to explore together, no longer hiding behind duties or titles. A future of understanding, support, and adoration awaited. 

Dimitri may never learn, but with Dedue by his side, that prospect seemed less scary, for no flower blooms alone anyways.

**Author's Note:**

> ahhh if you got this far thank you for reading! this was my second work ever and i was super nervous to post it because i like completely lack confidence lol bUT i figured what the hell if one person enjoys it thats good enough for me uwu
> 
> kudos/comments are much appreciated i swear you will literally make my entire week. plus if anyone has any feedback i am trying to improve my writing and would love to hear (pls be nice tho im sensitive!) 
> 
> i love you all and stay safe!! <3


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